Magnetic fastener

ABSTRACT

The magnetic fastener comprises a male fastening member having a convexly curved contacted side, and a female fastening member having a concavely curved contact portion. A magnetic fastener may be provided with elongated bars, or with strips substantially co-extensive in length with the flap of a garment. A still further embodiment of this invention may include an armature to increase magnetic force resultant from the magnets.

United States Patent Cutler Nov. 18, 1975 15 1 MAGNETIC FASTENER1,217,694 5/1960 France 24/2111 B .2 ,3 24 201 B [76] Inventor: Alvin H.Cutler, Box 71, Midvale, l 66 47 5/196] France Idaho 83645 22 Filed; 5,1973 Primary E.\'aminerBernard A, Gelak Attorney. Agent, or FirmJohn W.Kraft; Charles L. [21] Appl. No.: 413,075 Kraft1 H [52] US. Cl. 24/201B; 24/203 [51] Int. Cl. A44B 17/00 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search24/201 B, 73 MS; 49/478 1 The magnetic fastener comprises a malefastening [56] References and member having a convexly curved contactedside, and UNITED STATES PATENTS a female fastening member having aconcavely curved 2,615,227 10/1952 Hornik 24/201 B n a t p A m g ti fastn may be pr vided 3,111,735 10/1963 Ellis I 24/201 B with elongatedbars, or with strips substantially co- 3,l l.2l6 /1964 Brett 24/201 Bextensive in length with the flap of a garment. A still 3,266,112 8/1966Heckma" 24/30l B further embodiment of this invention may include an33721443 3/1968 Daddola-m 24/201 B armature to increase magnetic forceresultant from 3,376,615. 4/1968 Heckman 24/201 B the magnets FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 743,967 4/1933 France 24/201 B 1 Claim, 7Drawing Figures IS. Patfint Nov. 18,1975 SheetlofZ 3,919,743

FIG. 2

MAGNETIC FASTENER Q FIELD OF INVENTION The present inventionrelates to amagnetic fastening means for garments and more particularlytomagneticfastening meansfor wearing apparelandthe' like, H

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Magnetization has been included fasteners,including some apparel fasteners; however, these jfastehers have beenrestricted to slide fasteners I of the zipper type, compression"fasteners having a body aboutwhich a resilientijacketm'ay be engaged,snap 'fastener sand the like; Primary advantage-of magnetized fastenersis the convenience of c lofsure iand-that handicapped'persons may employsuch fasteners-*ove'r conventional types; Application, however, ofmagnetized" fasteners has been limited by the complexity of accompanyingclosure means, and by-therelativenlaekl-of holding power. w t 1 IAccordingly, it is an object of the-tpresent invention to provide a:magnetized fastener in=Jwhichf simple contact of .amagnetizedfastener-element is 'sufficient to make a closure,

It is another object of thisinvention that the: present magneticfastener include elongated baI'S3,wl1 1Ch may provide sufficient closure and esthetic appeal.

It is still another object of this inventiontoprpvide a magnetized striplike fastener; .whiel'grnay, be disposed at the terminal edge of a flapopening. I

It is a primary object of this invention to provide means for increasingthe magnetic force resultant from the magnets, without appreciablyincreasing their size,

by means such as an armature.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the descriptionfollowing it being understood that modifications may be made withoutaffecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 3 The magnetic fastener comprises a malefastening member having a convexly curved contacted side, and a femalefastening member having a concavely curved contact portion. A magneticfastener may be provided with elongated bars, or with stripssubstantially coextensive in lengthwith the flap of a garment. A still.further embodiment of this invention may include an armature toincrease magnetic force resultant from the magnets.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from thedetailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connectionwith the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and more particularly,

to the FIGS. 1 and .2 .of the magnetic fastener for wear.- ingapparel-and garmentof this invention shown. to advantage and generallyidentified bythe numeral 10.

The magnetic fastener 10 comprises a. malefastening bar 11 anda femalefastening bar 12. The male fastening bar or member 11 can be fastened tothe exterior terminal side of the terminal edge of a flap 13 of a gar.ment 14,. Accordingly, the female bar 12 is fastened. to the interiorterrninal edge of the complimentary flap 15 of a fastening loop 1 1" and12, respectively, in the manner of garment but ttons and thelike. Thebars 11 and ,l2 may be bonded "to the garment 14 by meanssuehasadhesives 14 as seen in the FIG. 4.

,The male bar 11 has a cross-sectionalconvexly configured contact face 1which is matable with a con;

cavelycon figured contact, face 12" in the female bar 12. The.active ormale bar 11 is magnetized to apply lines of force for attracting to theneutral or female bar 12. Accordingly, the male bar 11 must be made of amagnetizable material. This material may be of a ferric magnetic metal,or of a magnetizable flexible material such as neoprene. In operationthe flaps l3 and 15 of the garment 14 may be closed in the manner ofconventional closing. The bars 11 and 12 may be contacted with eachother to apply necessary magnetic flux from the male bar 11 to thefemale bar 12. It is to be understood that the further embodiment of thegarment magnetic fastener 10 may include complimentarily magnetized bars11 and 12.

A further embodiment of this invention includes a male fastener strip 16and a female fastener strip 17. The male fastener strip 16 is fastenedto the exterior terminal edge of the flap 13 of a garment 14 as set outabove. Accordingly, the female strip 17 is fastened to the interiorterminal side of the complimentary flap 15 of the garment 14. Each ofthe strips 16 and 17 may be provided with hem strips 16 and 17',respectively, in the manner of commonly known fabric or elasticattachments. The strips 16 and 17 may also be bonded to the garment 14by other means such as adhesives and the like. The strips 16 and 17 ofthe further embodiment should be fabricated of a flexible magnetizablematerial such as neoprene. Operation of the strips 16 and 17 issubstantially identical to the operation of the bars. 11 and 12 set outabove. Like the bar type fasteners l1 and 12, the strips fasteners 16and 17 may be matable concavely and convexly configured respectively.

Magnetic flux of the fastening means 10 in either of the embodiments setout above may be increased by the inclusion of an armature 10. Referringto the transverse cross-section of FIG. 5, a typical armature 18 maycomprise ferrite laminations l8 and 18" disposed on the flap contactingside of the male fastening member 11 and the female fastening on member12, respectively, and ferrite core 18" mounted centrally in the malefastening member 11. The laminations l8 and 18" may be bonded to themembers 11 and 12 by any of a variety of means such as adhesive.themobonding and the like. and may be provided on the side opposite themembers 11 and 12 with the means for fastening the members 11 and 12 tofabric. The core 18" is disposed through the male fastening member 11 tothe lamination l8, and projecting distally from the apex of convexcurvature of the male fastening member 11. The female fastening member12 is provided with a centrally disposed groove 19 which communicatesthe lamination 18" with the contact face [2". ln operation the core 18"is disposed into the groove 19 to contact the core 18" with thelaminations l8 and the fastener isclosed. It may be seen that the core18" or groove 19 facilitates engagement of the fasteners 11 and 12.Magnetic force may be optimized further if the core 18" is operable tospace the contact faces 11 and 12" distally apart.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lamination l8 and 18" and the core 18" may befabricated co-extensively with the male and female fastening members 11and 12. In embodiments of the fastening means 10 fabricated of flexiblematerial, the laminations l8 and 18" may be fabricated to a flexibleferrite foil, and the core 18' may be fabricated to a flexible ferritefilament. As shown H6. 7, the armature 18 may also be fabricated insections, either unconnected or pivotally connected.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies theconcepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes thevarious objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated andwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changescould be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive conceptsand principles embodies therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope ofthe invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

I. A magnetic fastener for a garment comprising:

a plurality of elongated bar-like male fastening members having facesfastened to a surface of a flap of said garment along a commonlongitudinal axis, the opposite face of each of said members beingconvexly curved in a transverse direction and being elongated along saidlongitudinal axis; and plurality of elongated bar-like female fasteningmembers having faces fastened to a surface of an overlappingcomplementary mating flap of said garment along a common longitudinalaxis and each having the opposite face concavely curved in a transversedirection and being elongated along said longitudinal axis, one of saidfastening members being magnetized and the opposite member beingfabricated of a magnetically attractable material, said magnetizedfastening member being provided with an armature projecting out of itsrespective face, and said opposite member having a groove to receivesaid armature, the curved faces adapted to contact each other infastened position.

1. A magnetic fastener for a garment comprising: a plurality ofelongated bar-like male fastening members having faces fastened to asurface of a flap of said garment along a common longitudinal axis, theopposite face of each of said members being convexly curved in atransverse direction and being elongated along said longitudinal axis;and a plurality of elongated bar-like female fastening members havingfaces fastened to a surface of an overlapping complementary mating flapof said garment along a common longitudinal axis and each having theopposite face concavely curved in a transverse direction and beingelongated along said longitudinal axis, one of said fastening membersbeing magnetized and the opposite member being fabricated of amagnetically attractable material, said magnetized fastening memberbeing provided with an armature projecting out of its respective face,and said opposite member having a groove to receive said armature, thecurved faces adapted to contact each other in fastened position.